Valve-chest



B. R. VAN VALKENBURG.

VALVE CHEST.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I7, 1916.

1,328,796. Patented Jan'. 20, 1920.

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WI TNESSES INVENTOR. az V027 Val/RIMM@ ATTORNEYS.

BURT R. VAN VALKEN13U'R(':7r, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

VALVE-CHEST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 20, 1920.

Application filed May 17, 1916. Serial No. 98,184.

This invention relates to improvements in j valve chests for pneumatically operated muy sical instruments and has for its object the `construction of a chest,which is simple in construction and eifective in operation.

Another object of the invention is to conv struct the chest so that the valves and pneu- A matics are readily accessible and removable for repairs and adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to construct the chest so that there are no air passageways across the joints between the several layers composing the same.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the novel construction,

combination and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and more specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a view in section through the upper part of the piano showing the manner in which my improved chest is installed therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through my improved chest.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the inside. of the chest, a front cover plate being removed. f

Fig. 4: is a view in section von 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Denoting corresponding parts in the several views by the same numerals of reference, 1 denotes the piano action, and2 my improved chest in general. The usual perforated music roll is denoted `by 4, yand, this passes over the tracker bar 3, having openings 5', connected by tubular'pipes5, with certain passageways 12 in thechest 2. This chest extends the `full kwidth of the piano and comprises two or more vertical strips as carrier strip 6 and frontv strip 7 to which are attached end plates 8, having suitable fastening means 9, by which the chest is attached to the piano case. Between strips 6 and 7, is a cavity lconnected by a pipe 11 to the suitable means for maintaining `a vacuum. l v

On the back of strip 6 is mounted a plurality of triangular blocks 13 attached to the strips by means of screws 14, each block being removable independent of any other block. These blocks are preferably arranged in staggered relation, as shown at Fig. 3. The distance between their centers being the same as the distance between each note sounding mechanism.

On the under side of each of these blocks is mounted a flexible bellows 15havingthe movable sidel, fromwhich extends an arm 17. To these arms are pivotally connected rods 18, which extend upwardly and are there Ain threaded engagement with the contact members 19. These members are slidably mounted in a guide bar 20, held to the end members of the chest by means of brackets 21, and below this strip are blocks 23 adjustably mounted on the rods-and having the cushioning washers 24. These `blocks are adapted to contact with the underside of guide bars 2Oy and thereby limit `the upward movement ofcontact members 19. The

downward movement of themovablesidefof i the bellows is limited by a cushioning pad 22 on the top of the block 13 next below and for the bottom bellows by a strip 22 .extending from onel end plate 8 tothe other and provided with a suitable cushioning pad.

Member 19 contacts withsome yportionof the piano action, so that the collapsing lof any bellows 15 operates the corresponding note sounding mechanism. i

At the sides and communicating with recess 28 are passageways 50, whichextend through the block 13 to the interior of the bellows. Extending inwardly from the uppersurface of the respective blocks 13 `are .two recesses 25 and 26 spaced so as to provide a division wall `27 therebetween. Ajrece'ss 28 is providedrin the base ,of jeach v,of-.the blocks 13, and in thestrip are .openings 29, with which the recesses l28 valine when the blocks arev in position. yA .passageway 30 furnishes communication between recess 28kand recess 26, smallerin diametermthan the recess 28, ,providing a shoulderl 29 which forms a valve seat. Covering the inner end of opening 29 is provideda disk' 31, having an opening 31', forminga valve' seat, and, across this disk is a guide strip 32,throughl which extends a `valve stem 33, the ,inner end of whichfis 'slidably'mounte'd in the'division wall 27. Between 31 and the shoulder 29 the valve stem is provided with two spaced apart disks denoted 34 and 35, the former of which is adjustably mounted on the threaded portion of the stem While the latter is held in place between two lixed collars. ln alinement with each of the triangular blocks there is a cell 40 in the 1nner wall of strip 7 which cell is separated from the vacuum cavity by the flexible diaphragm 40, and against this diaphragm rests the disk 36, adjustably attached to the end of valve stem 33. The construction just described forms a second-ary valve by which the interior oi' the bellows is placed either in communication with the vacuum cavity or atmospheric pressure.

In the inner face of the upper end of strip 6 is a plurality of cells 42, there being one of these cells for each cell 40. rlhe cells are separated from the vacuum cavity by a flexible diaphragm 47, having attached on the vacuum side disks 49. Each of these cells is connected by a passageway 43, with the corresponding tubular member leading from an opening of the tracker bar. A bleed opening 44 is provided between the vacuum cavity 10 and passageway 43, thereby main- K scribed are governed.

The operation is as follows:

l/Vhen one of the openings 5 in the tracker bar is uncovered, air is admitted through the tubular connecting member 5 and passageway 43, into the cell 42. Diaphragm 47 thus having pressure on one side and vacuum on the opposite side is moved outwardly causing the disks 49 to seat on the face of strip 7 and so close the inner end of passageway 45, while the pin 48 lifts the flexible strip 46 from the outer end, admitting atmospheric pressure through the passageway 46 into the cell 40. This cell having atmospheric pressure in one side and vacuum in the other, the diaphragm is pressed outwardly causing the disk 34 to close the opening 30 to the atmospheric pressure and the disk 35 to open passageway to the vacuum through the valve seat 31, thus permitting the air to be exhausted from the corresponding bellows 15. The recess 25 is a convenient arrangement to -provide a clearance for the end of valve stem 33. The bellows is thus collapsed and the corresponding note is sounded. It will be noted that with my improved construction there are no long passageways within the chest itselt 1n which it is necessary to exhaust between each sounding of a note. Also that there are no air passageways across from one strip to the other, making joints at which leakage is apt to occur.

t will also be noted that by the removal of plate 7 all parts of the valves are readily accessible. 1i' any pneumatic becomes out of order the same may be removed without the disturbance of any other. The bleed opening may be easily reached for cleaning, thus providing a chest which is effective in operation as well as. convenient to maintain any effective operating condition.

I claim as new and wish to cover by Letters Patent:

1. A valve chest of the character described comprising a carrier strip and a front strip secured together in spaced relation to provide a vacuum chamber between them, pneumatic carrier blocks attached to the external face of said carrier strip, pneumatics attached to the respective blocks, each block having the end which abuts the carrier strip provided with a recess communicating with a passage way leading to the atmosphere, said carrier strip having openings registering with said recesses to provide passage ways leading from said recesses to the vacuum chamber, secondary valves mounted to selectively place said recesses in communication either with the atmosphere vor with the vacuum chamber, primary valves controllingthe operationoi1 the last mentioned valves, and means for operatively attaching said primary valves to said carrier strip in positions to be exposed by removal of said front strip.

2. A valve chest of the character described comprising a carrier strip and a front strip secured together in spaced relation to provide a vacuum chamber between them, pneumatic carrier blocks attached to the external face of said carrier strip, pneumatics attached to the respective blocks, each block having the end which abuts the carrier strip provided with a recess communicating with a passage way leading to the atmosphere, said carrier strip having openings registering with said recesses to provide passage ways leading from said recesses to the vacuum chamber, secondary valves mounted to selectively place said recesses in communication either with the atmosphere or with the vacuum chamber, the front strip being provided with recesses alined with the recesses in said blocks and said carrier strip, diaphragms cvering the recesses in the front strip, means connecting said diaphragms with said valves, primary valves controlling the admission of air to and exhaustion of air from the recesses of the front strip, and means for operatively attaching said primary valves to said carrier strip in position to be exposed by removal of said front strip.

3. A valve chest of the character described comprising a carrier strip and a front strip secured together in spaced relation to provide a vacuum chamber between them, pneumatic carrier blocks attached to the external :tace oi" said carrier strip, pneumatics attached to the respective blocks, each block having the end which abuts the carrier strip provided with a recess communicating with a passage way leading to the atmosphere,.

said carrier strip having openings register ing with said recesses to provide passage ways leading from said recesses to the vacuum chamber, secondary valves mounted to selectively place said recesses in communication either with the atmosphere or with the vacuum chamber, the front strip being provided with recesses alined with the recesses in said blocks and said carrier strip, diaphragme separating the last mentioned recesses irom the vacuum chamber, the stems of said secondary valves resting against said diaphragms, the carrier strip having cells and tracker bar ducts coinmunicating therewith, flexible diaphragms attached to the carrier strip and covering 'said cells, said iront strip having passage ways in alinement with the axes of said cells and extending to the atmosphere, ducts connecting said passage Ways with the recesses in the iront strip, primary valves attached to said cell diaphragme in position to close the inner ends of the passage ways in the front strip, flexible vent caps positioned to close the outer ends of said passage ways, and pins extending from said primary valves and engaging said vent caps, y,all of said valves being positioned to be exposed by removal of said front strip.

4. A valve chest of the character described comprising a carrier strip having openings therein, carrier blocks attached to said strip, pneumatics supported by said blocks and communicating with said openings, primary valves operatively supported by said carrier strip, secondary valves controlling said pneumatics and supported and guidedV by said carrier strip and said blocks, and a front strip removably attached to the -carrier strip, said valves being so positioned that removal of the front strip Will expose them, a vacuum chamber being provided between said front strip and said carrier strip.

A valve chest of the character described comprising a carrier strip having openings therein, primary valves controlling the operation of the secondary valves, and a front strip removably attached to the carrier strip, said primary and said secondary valves being positioned to be exposed by removal of the iront strip, a vacuum chamber being provided between said front strip and said carrier strip.

6. A valve chest of the Character described comprising a carrier strip having openings therein, pneumatic carrier blocks abutting the outer face. oi' said strip, securing devices for said blocks passed through said strip from the inner face thereof, pneumatics supported by said blocks and communicating with said openings, secondary valves controlling said pneumatics, and a front strip removably attached to the carrier strip, said secondary valves and the fastening devices or the carrier blocks being in a position to be exposed by removal of the front strip, a vacuum chamber being provided between said front strip and said carrier strip.

ln testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BURT R. VAN VALKENBURG. 

